Rap artist Flavor Flav may be hoping the third time is his lucky charm as he opens a new restaurant offering chicken and ribs in Sterling Heights next month.

The new Flavor Flav’s Chicken & Ribs takes the place of a closed Wendy’s fast-food restaurant on 15 Mile Road, east of Van Dyke, across from the MJR Marketplace Cinema Theater and near Chrysler’s Sterling Heights Assembly Plant.

This is Flav’s third attempt in the dining business after previous ventures opened and closed in Clinton, Iowa in 2011, and in Las Vegas earlier this year.

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Starting fresh in southeast Michigan, he’s teamed up with Shelby Township-based Forza Development to design and operate the eatery, which is expected to open in the second week of December.

“He is a close friend who will definitely be here for the grand opening and he likely will bring along some of his celebrity friends,” said Gino Harmon, co-owner of Forza Development. “He’s not what you might expect from seeing him on TV. He’s a down-to-earth guy who will sign autographs and joke around with his customers.”

Harmon, who is backing the business with his cousin Salvatore Bitonti, said the restaurant will be family-oriented with no liquor license, but will have late hours for the drive-through on weekends. He said if this venture is successful, more Flavor Flav eateries will be built elsewhere in southeast Michigan.

“My partner and I grew up in this area so we knew the layout and the people,” Harmon said. “We looked at 50 locations before we zoomed in on Sterling Heights because of the mixed demographics of the area. We’ve joined the chamber of commerce and we’re very excited to be part of the community.”

The menu will consist of broasted or grilled chicken, smoked ribs, along with mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, waffle fries, collard greens, baked beans, corn bread, biscuits, and various kinds of sauces. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday, with the drive-through staying open until 3 a.m. It will close at 9 p.m. on Sunday.

The 60-seat restaurant was initially set to open this past spring but a number of obstacles popped up. It has yet to receive its certificate of occupancy from the City of Sterling Heights, but Harmon said the inspections will be completed soon.

“We are right now in the process of hiring our staff,” he said. “That’s given us plenty of time to work out the kinks.”

Born William Drayton Jr., Flavor Flav first came to the public’s attention as the clock-wearing hype man for the group Public Enemy. He went on to become a reality TV star on VH1 with shows such as “The Surreal Life” and “Flavor of Love.”